Salvator Rosa’s etching, “Man Standing with Arm Raised Pointing Toward the Left”, c1655

Salvator Rosa (1615–1673)

“Man Standing with Arm Raised Pointing Toward the Left” (TIB title), c1655, from the series “Figurine” (aka “Figurina”).

Richard W Wallace (1979) in his catalogue raisonné of Salvator Rosa’s etchings advises that the “final drawing for the print, in reverse from it”, executed in pen and brown ink and brown wash with traces of black chalk, was sold in Christie’s (London) auction as no. 56 on July 6, 1976 (see p. 213). The Rijksmuseum notes that this drawing was formerly in the collection of Ladislao Odescalchi in Rome (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.167076).

Etching (possibly with drypoint) on laid paper (watermarked) with a generous margin around the platemark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 25.8 x 17.5 cm; (plate) 14.4 x 9 cm.

Inscribed on plate at lower right with the artist’s monogram: (ligature) “SR”.

State i (of i)

Wallace 76 (Richard W Wallace 1979, “The Etchings of Salvator Rosa”, Princeton, Princeton University Press, p. 213, cat. no. 76); TIB 4512.096 (Paolo Bellini & Richard W Wallace 1990, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Italian Masters of the Seventeenth Century” [Commentary], vol. 45, New York, Abaris Books, p. 412, cat [4512] .196); Bartsch 289 (Adam Bartsch, “Le Peintre Graveur”, vol. 20, Vienna, pp. 289–90, cat. no. 76).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Figurina; in centre, a man in a long outer garment and cap, pointing with upraised hand to left. c.1656-1657 Etching, possibly with some touches of drypoint”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_W-7-63”.

Regarding the possible addition of drypoint to this etching, Richard W Wallace (1979) offers the following insight:

“It is difficult to be certain, but the lines around the toes of his [the portrayed figure’s] left foot may be reinforced with drypoint” (p. 213). Wallace goes on to advise: “As a rule even in early impressions the lines at the top of his cap are quite thin and the corner at the lower right is slightly bevel[l]ed” (ibid.).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression, showing signs of wear to the printing plate, with generously wide margins and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. Beyond a few minor fractures to the lower edge of the sheet, the etching is in a very good condition for its age with no holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this graphically strong image of a man wearing a long cap and gesturing with his pointed finger, for the total cost of AU$257 (currently US$199.70/EUR163.30/GBP147.28 at the time of this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.

If you are interested in purchasing this visually arresting etching, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.